# US 8,787,992 B2 · Device comprising housings and portable device thereof

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- Number: US 8,787,992 B2
- Document ID: US8787992B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/868,854
- Filed: 2010-08-26
- Published: 2011-03-10
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2009-08-28
- Assignees: NEC Casio Mobile Communications, Ltd.
- Applicants: Hirofumi Taguchi
- Inventors: Hirofumi Taguchi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8787992B2

## CPC

- H04M 1/0214: {Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position (combined with translation movement H04M1/0235)}
- G06F 1/1616: {with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position}
- G06F 1/1622: {with enclosures rotating around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define or with ball-joint coupling, e.g. PDA with display enclosure orientation changeable between portrait and landscape by rotation with respect to a coplanar body enclosure}
- G06F 1/1624: {with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display}
- G06F 1/1681: {Details related solely to hinges (hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683)}
- H04M 1/0212: {with a two degrees of freedom mechanism, i.e. folding around a first axis and rotating around a second axis perpendicular to the first}
- H04M 1/0237: {Sliding mechanism with one degree of freedom}
- H04M 1/04: Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

The portable telephone of the invention comprises two housings having a display screen on one of the housings, a first connection section that connects the two housings such that the housings can be opened and closed in a first direction, and a second connection section that connects the two housings such that the housings can move from an overlapped state in a second direction that is different than the first direction such that step is formed on the end sections of the housings. When the portable telephone is placed on a flat surface such as a desk, the portable telephones stably stands on its own by way of the step with the display screen facing upward at an angle. Therefore, the angle between the display screen and the line of sight of the user becomes nearly perpendicular, so the display screen is easy for the user to see.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device comprising:
a first housing including a first end section;
a second housing including a second end section; and
a first connection section and a second connection section that connect the first housing and the second housing; wherein
the first connection section connects the first housing and the second housing such that the first housing is movable with respect to the second housing along a first direction; and
the second connection section connects the first housing and the second housing such that the first housing is movable with respect to the second housing along a second direction that is different from the first direction, between a position where the first housing and the second housing are overlapped so that the first end section flushes with the second end section, and a position where the first housing and the second housing are overlapped so as to make a step between the first end section and the second end section, whereby the first end section and the second end section support the device in a standing position, while the device and a flat surface that the device stands on form a non-perpendicular angle.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein
the second connection section comprises a first member that is located in the first housing, a second member that is located in the second housing, and a fastening section that is located in the second member;
the second member supports the first member such that the first member is movable along the second direction; and
the fastening section supports the first member such that the first housing and the second housing form the step.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The device according to claim 2, wherein
the first connection section connects the first housing and the second housing such that the first housing and the second housing are foldable around a first rotating shaft that extends in the crosswise direction or lengthwise direction of the first housing and the second housing;
the first member connects the first housing to the second housing by way of the second member such that the first housing freely rotates with respect to the second housing while maintaining an open state of the first housing and the second housing by the first connection section; and
the second member supports a second rotating shaft such that the second rotating shaft is slidable in the crosswise direction of the second housing.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The device according to claim 2, wherein
the fastening section supports the first member such that the first member is movable along a third direction that is different from the first direction and the second direction while maintaining the step, and the fastening section fastens the first member moved in the third direction so as to maintain the step.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein
the second connection section connects the first housing and the second housing such that the first housing is movable to make the step at a plurality of specified positions as the first housing moves in the first direction with respect to the second housing.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The device according to claim 5, wherein
the second connection section includes a fastening section that fastens the first housing and the second housing so as to maintain the step.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein
the first connection section connects the first housing and the second housing such that the first housing and the second housing are slidable with respect to each other in the lengthwise direction of the second housing; and
the second connection section connects the first housing and the second housing such that the first housing and the second housing are slidable with respect to each other in the crosswise direction of the second housing.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein
the first connection section connects the first housing and the second housing such that the first housing and the second housing are rotatable with respect to each other around a pivot point on the side of one end section in the lengthwise direction of the second housing, while maintaining an overlapped state of the first housing and the second housing; and
the second connection section connects the first housing and the second housing such that the first housing is slidable in the lengthwise direction of the second housing between a position where the first housing and the second housing are overlapped in a state that the first housing is rotated with respect to the second housing around a pivot point on the side of one end section in the lengthwise direction of the second housing by way of the first connection section so that the first end section flushes with the second end section, and a position where the first housing and the second housing are overlapped in the state so as to make the step.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein
the first connection section connects the first housing and the second housing such that the first housing and the second housing are slidable with respect to each other in the lengthwise direction of the second housing;
the second connection section includes an arm; and
the arm connects the first housing and the second housing such that the first housing and the second housing are movable with respect to each other in the crosswise direction of the second housing.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein
the first end section and the second end section are beveled, and a beveled surface is generally perpendicular to a central axis in the device that stands alone with the first end section and the second end section as feet while the step is formed between the first end section and the second end section.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein
the second connection section is assembled on one end section in the lengthwise direction of the first housing;
a cover is attached to the one end section in the lengthwise direction so as to cover the second connection section; and
both end sections in the crosswise direction of the cover are beveled, wherein
a beveled surface of one of the end sections in the crosswise direction of the cover is generally perpendicular to a central axis of the device that stands alone with the beveled surface of the one of the end sections as feet while the step is formed between the first end and the second end sections, and
a beveled surface of the other of the end sections in the crosswise direction of the cover is generally perpendicular to the central axis of the device that stands alone with the beveled surface of the other of the end sections as feet while the step is formed between the first end and the second end sections.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1 including a display screen or imaging section on one surface of the first housing or the second housing that is externally viewable when there is the step between the first end section and the second end section.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

A portable device that is constructed using the device according to claim 1.

### Claim 14

A device comprising:
a first housing including a first end section;
a second housing including a second end section; and
first connection means and second connection means that connect the first housing and the second housing; wherein
the first connection means connects the first housing and the second housing such that the first housing is movable with respect to the second housing along a first direction; and
the second connection means connects the first housing and the second housing such that the first housing is movable with respect to the second housing along a second direction that is different from the first direction, between a position where the first housing and the second housing are overlapped so that the first end section flushes with the second end section, and a position where the first housing and the second housing are overlapped so as to make a step between the first end section and the second end section, whereby the first end section and the second end section support the device in a standing position, while the device and a flat surface that the device stands on form a non-perpendicular angle.